CINCINNATI — Broadcaster ATB Bolivia has transitioned to ISDB-Tb digital television in Cochabamba and La Paz, Bolivia, with the assistance of GatesAir and its regional partner Sonotec.
The transition fulfills a requirement of the Bolivian government to deliver digital television to the city of Santa Cruz.
“While the Santa Cruz site had an existing analog TV transmitter we were able to convert in the field, the Cochabamba and La Paz sites were very challenging as we needed new transmitters that could work with the existing RF infrastructure,” said Javier Fernandez, ATB’s CTO.
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In 2011, the Bolivian government adopted ISDB-Tb. The country is in the first phase of its ISDB-Tb rollout, which is due to be finished in 2024.
ATB chose the GatesAir Maxiva ULXTE liquid-cooled transmitter for the transition in both locales. GatesAir expedited the delivery of the transmitters, which Sonotec installed. They were commissioned prior to the June deadline.
The new Maxiva ULXTEs transmit one ISDB-Tb HD channel and one mobile channel. Satellite relay extends coverage to those in rural areas. The Bolivian broadcaster anticipates adding another channel shortly, GatesAir said.
According to Fernandez, ATB has experienced “a remarkable improvement” in the quality of its transmitted signals and bandwidth efficiency.
One reason contributing to ATB’s selection of the Maxiva transmitters was the efficiency of their liquid-cooled design, which lowers the requirement for air conditioning and reduces power consumption, said Fernandez.
Regional GatesAir sales engineers conducted training seminars and on-site visits to ensure a smooth installation and commissioning, the company added.
